PNP: 169 gun ban violators arrested

MANILA, Philippines — At least 169 people were arrested across the country in the past week, the first week of a three-month gun ban imposed nationwide in connection with the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections (BSKE), the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.

PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. appealed to gun owners to avoid carrying their firearms outdoors during the ban as policemen would not hesitate to arrest them.

“We ask for the cooperation of people with firearms to avoid bringing them in public, so that you will not face any charges before the court,” he said in a statement.

Col. Jean Fajardo, PNP spokesperson, said the 169 violators were apprehended from Aug. 28, when the ban began, to Sept. 1. She added in a text message that a total of 98 firearms of different calibers were seized during the period.

The gun ban was imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) last Aug. 28 – the first day of the election period coinciding with the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the Oct. 30 BSKE – and would run until Nov. 29.

Gun owners are prohibited from carrying their weapons outside their residences during this period.

Among the violators was Joseph Christopher Macawile, who was apprehended in Cavinti, Laguna on Thursday. The police said Macawili robbed two people in Barangay Bukal at around 4:50 p.m. They were able to recover P780,000 in cash and a .45 caliber handgun during a follow-up operation.?In Iloilo City, the PNP arrested Mark John Alegre, a suspected gunrunner, on Thursday. Alegre, 26, was collared during an entrapment operation in Barangay Q. Abeto at around 4 a.m. after selling a .38-caliber handgun to a policeman posing as a buyer. The police seized P4,500 in marked money and a cell phone from him.

In Nueva Ecija province, the police arrested a total of six gun ban violators on Sept. 1.

Reports reaching Col. Richard Caballero, Nueva Ecija police director, said an alias Santos and an alias Tonio were arrested in Talavera town each for possession of a .38-caliber revolver with seven bullets.

Two others, he said, were arrested in Guimba town. Caballero identified one as Juanito Rubang Jr., who was arrested for possession of a .38-caliber revolver with two bullets and a hand grenade. The other was a 40-year-old male who was caught with a .45-caliber pistol loaded with four bullets.

Caballero also cited the apprehension of a 30-year-old construction worker in Pantabangan town for carrying a .38-caliber gun loaded with two bullets and a 45-year-old farmer in Jaen town who had a .38-caliber revolver loaded with five bullets.

In Pampanga province, the PNP reported the arrest of Christopher Padilla, 41, after a short chase.

Padilla reportedly refused to stop at a checkpoint the PNP set up along GOVIC Highway in Barangay Naugsol, Subic, Zambales on Friday.

The police allegedly flagged Padilla, who was driving a motorcycle, but the latter accelerated, prompting the chase. Confiscated from him was a caliber .38 revolver, six bullets and 15 heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected shabu with a street value of P265,200.

1.18 million file COCs

Meanwhile, the Comelec said 1,181,404 aspirants for the Oct. 30 polls have so far filed their COCs.

Of the number, 85,796 are running for chairman, 638,209 for Sangguniang Barangay, 75,434 for SK chairmen and 381,965 for SK councilors.

Male candidates accounted for 776,781 or 65.75 percent of the total figure while female aspirants totaled 404,623 or 34.25 percent as of Sept. 2.

Of the 776,781 male candidates, at least 67,321 are running for barangay chairman. Of the 404,623 females, 18,475 are also seeking the top post. —Ric Sapnu, Rhodina Villanueva